POTASSIUM RICH FOODS NUTRITION AND HEALTH FACTS

Updated on March 24, 2011

Eat Foods Rich In Potassium To Prevent Diseases And Stay In Good Health

Potassium is one of the most essential elements whose benefits
in our bodies few know about. Minerals help prevent many diseases and should
always be included in our diets in the right amounts. Potassium rich foods
should be given priority because there are many factors that contribute to its
loss and deficiency which leads to hypokalemia. Research conducted on patients
admitted in hospitals with different diseases showed that majority of them had
inadequate amounts of potassium in their bodies. This proved a strong link between
potassium deficiency and wide range diseases affecting the human health.

Eating foods rich in potassium helps in the prevention of many
life threatening diseases such as high blood pressure, irregular cardiac
rhythm, diabetes and stroke to mention but a few. Potassium maintains the
balance of other minerals in the body in order to avoid their excesses or their
loss. It more importantly keeps the amounts of sodium in check as these have
higher chances of being taken through table salt and many processed foods. Eating
less potassium rich foods can also lead to increased loss of calcium through
excretion due to poor kidney function and eventually osteoporosis as more
calcium gets leached from bones reducing their densities.

Potassium plays the role of an electrolyte in the body and
maintains the balance of body. It is mainly found inside body cells and especially
more in the muscle tissues. Eating more potassium foods ensures that adequate
potassium ions are found inside your body cells in order to balance
extracellular sodium ions. This creates a potential difference across the
cell’s membrane which allows for conduction of electrical signals. Each cell
can send signals to adjacent cells and this helps to improve the body’s nerve system.
Most importantly, potassium ions prevent the loss of water from the cells to
the external sodium ions. Dehydration takes place if the concentration of
sodium ions exceeds that of potassium ions inside the cells. This usually
leaves the muscles seriously affected and the entire body becomes weak. All
these highlight the need of increasing potassium rich foods in our daily diets.

Many foods we eat do contain potassium but not all of them have
adequate amounts that can cater for our daily needs. Some good sources of foods
rich in potassium include fruits such as bananas, avocados, apples, grapes,
blackberries and many more. Legumes like lima beans and green leafy vegetables
are also excellent choices. Meats and dairy products too are foods rich in
potassium but these should not be taken regularly as they form acid in the
body.

If you get into the habit of eating more potassium rich foods,
your muscle function improves while you will feel more energetic and generally in
good mood. Potassium improves your nervous system and helps prevent confusion
while improving concentration and coordination. You definitely reap many
benefits from eating foods rich in potassium but also other essential minerals
such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus and others should be part of your diet.
Avoid high sodium intakes by only adding a pinch of salt to your food. Those
who exercise and sweat more loose more potassium from their bodies and should
therefore consider eating more potassium rich foods. Note that potassium
supplements should only be taken with an advice from a qualified physician or
doctor to avoid an excess of potassium in the body, a dangerous condition known
as hyperkalemia.